"Starfleet Academy" - The Show

[mdtauk]

During the Star Trek Day live stream, Alex Kurtzman mentioned the potential of a Starfleet Academy show, when talking with Wil Wheaton.

https://www.trektoday.com/content/2021/08/kurtzman-starfleet-academy-series-on-the-way/

So I thought it may be worth starting a thread where we could pontificate, speculate and aggregate some ideas and thoughts.

My initial thoughts would be, what era should this show take place in?

2140 – Pre 2252/2258 - Before Kirk's Academy days
The benefits of this era would be the ability to feature Jonathan Archer (and other Enterprise Alumni) and be around the very earliest days of the Federation, and Starfleet opening up to other Federation races and species - with all the conflict and learning that would involve.

2250's – Pre 2323 - between Kirk's time and Picard's
We have the infamous Kobiyashi Maru test, that audiences know well, it could feature known characters and also encompasses a time where the Klingons were no longer the enemy. The Federation saw lots of expansion and the "cowboy diplomacy" approach was being replaced with something more professional and more steeped in experience and best-practice.

2323 – 2379 - Berman era
This is probably the most fleshed out of all the canonical times for Academy life - but it would allow for plenty of guest speakers, or trainers from TNG, DS9, VOY to show up. It could involve the Dominion conflict, Red Squadron, or even the aftermath of Romulus' destruction, if the timeframe were expanded up to Star Trek Picard's time.

Pre "The Burn"
Setting the show before Earth's exit from the Federation allows for creative freedoms without having to remain in lock-step with other shows' continuities.

All of these so far are presuming the show would take place at the primary San Francisco campus, although it is possible there could be others across Earth which would allow a lot more opportunity to develop new word building, and teaching ideas. That or specific classes and specialities have their own locations that the cast of the show would have to travel to.

Anything Post "The Burn", would be tied to Discovery, and may or may not see a re-opening of the Academy back on Earth.

Now moving on from the setting and location, is the Cast...

It seems to me there would be a few groups that would be important to feature.
- The Teaching Staff
- The Cadets
- Cadet's Families

Throw in others like those running the lounges and bars on campus (maybe grounds keepers lol), guest speakers giving lectures, and possibly friends who have no interest in joining Starfleet.

You could also feature different year groups, so the first season could see one class graduating and possibly keeping in touch with friends talking about their experiences on board starships.

Is it a teen/young adult school drama?
There would be a lot of scope to include the love lives and the fears that young people go through as they study together, live together, socialise etc. There would be people home sick, people who drop out, people who fail, people who coast through. In this regards you would probably expect some of this. But there will probably be less of the bullying and childish stuff, because of the fact these people have mostly chosen to be here, unlike school life.

Section 31?
Would make sense they may want to be on the look out for the best and the brightest. There could also be some cadets who have "infiltrated" which need to be kept an eye on. So operatives may recruit classmates to report on them? Perhaps even some of the teaching staff are being suspected, and separate from the cadet cast being involved, there is the possibility for character revelations, and trusted instructors turning out to be corrupt?

So entirely ground based?
There will obviously be simulators and some ship, station and starbase training semesters etc, but I think it could be treading on Star Trek Prodigy's toes to be giving a whole group of young people a ship and sending them off on the regular.

Anyway, those are some initial thoughts, I look forward to reading the thoughts of everyone else as this thread goes on - and when something official is announced regarding this show - this thread can be retired.

 

[J47]

The YA Starfleet Academy books were my jam when I was growing up, so I'm so happy this looks like it's going to be a reality.

 

[DaveyNY]

No matter what They finally decide on, you know it's going to involve some combination of Characters we have previous seen.
Can't you just hear the lyrical moans of "It's A Small Universe" that will be wafting around here...

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[captainkirk]

Like many people, I've always hated the idea of an Academy series, primarily because I could never see it being more than annoying teen angst. But Kurtzman's quote saying:

When we talked about there’s this new generation that is going to come and it’s going to inherit the problems of the old generation. What are they going to do to make the world better, to solve it. How are we going to avoid the mistakes of our elders? And how are we going to learn from the wisdom of our elders?

That actually sounds like an interesting approach that would make good use of both the younger cast and the academic setting. I guess we'll have to see how it pans out.

If I had to guess, I'd say that they're not going to add any new shows until season 3 of Picard is out and presumably wraps up that story. Then they'll either do Starfleet Academy or Section 31.

 

[The Wormhole]

I'm thinking such a series would likely be set in the 23rd or 32nd centuries, so they can tie them in with Disco or SNW, share production assets like costumes, props, ships, whatever and even have crossovers.

 

[Nerys Myk]

A "lost era" would be nice. Between the TOS films and TNG or between ENT and DISCO. I guess Between Picard and DISCO3 would have the most elbow room.

 

[ToyBoxComix]

I think a 32nd century setting is the most interesting. The fact that they would be rebuilding Starfleet and the Federation would be a good hook.

I've also wondered if Adira and Gray might be the leads for such a series.

 

[The Wormhole]

I've also wondered if Adira and Gray might be the leads for such a series.

IIRC, Adira has already received a commission, as I'm pretty sure they were wearing Ensign's rank insignia in the final scene of the season 3 finale.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Ideally, I'd want a Kirk and company academy series - essentially the academy scenes from the 2009 movie as a series. Saving the galaxy between classes and trying to date that cadet you like. Buffy/Smallville Trek. I think it'd be amazing.

Although some questionable leaked info says it's set in Discovery's 32nd century on "new Earth"

 

[captainkirk]

Although some questionable leaked info says it's set in Discovery's 32nd century on "new Earth"

Source?

 

[Jayson1]

Makes sense to me to do it after the Romulan -Earth War. It could be the very first years of the Academy. The idea that even though the Federation exists most members still have their own ships and fleet. One the reason the Romulan War is seen as war with the humans and not the Federation is because it was mostly with Starfleet and it's almost all human crews. We could see the Academy as a idea created to start merging everything into Starfleet and thus creating more diverse crews. I say have a cast of maybe 8 characters. 4 adults and 4 cadets. 3 teachers and 2 of them being aliens. One civilian who runs a bar. 4 cadets with 2 humans and 2 aliens. Do 5 years. Year 1 is about the the politics of getting the Academy going and cadets trying to qualify to get in. Year 2 is about year 1 of the Academy. It's set in Japan. The San Fran facility is still not built yet so they had to open at a different location. Year 3 Involves space assignment on a ship much how Nog was able to go to Ds9. Year 4 Training and living on Vulcan. Year 5. Back to the Academy and also the new Academy setting in San Fran. Cadets graduate.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Source?

Erm... a thing I read online somewhere more than a year ago, on a site nobody's ever heard of?

 

[mdtauk]

I would imagine the story and characters would be written out before the era is chosen. All we know is they are thinking about how the next generation (pun not intended) is going to learn the lessons of the older generation.

So if they can wrap that all up in an appropriate era, then that will aid season 2, 3 etc story possibilities.

So if it is set Post Enterprise, Archer and his actions on the NX-01 would serve as a sensible jumping off point for learning what it means to serve on a Starship, and to manage interstellar diplomacy, amongst the backdrop of the early years of the Federation, and learning to work with other species, and to make use if the diverse skills and personalities they carry - to solve problems, make discoveries, and improve your own world.

If we then consider it being set in Kirk/TOS era, you have the Klingon conflict, and a more militaristic era of Starfleet to grow up in. You have Pike and his adventures on the Enterprise that could be discussed.
Personally, I think this era is covered enough, and should be avoided.

Then if it is set post TUC and pre-TNG we get to explore a post-war era with the Klingons. We get to explore the shift from Kirk's "Cowboy Diplomacy" and enter a more empathetic time for Starfleet. Find out how a character like Picard emerges from this period for Starfleet.

The other eras I posted originally as examples kind of speak for themselves. We saw and heard more about the Academy during the TNG, DS9, VOY era - than any other time. So it would cause some restrictions with the audience having expectations and an image of the Academy, this show would be compared to.

But Pre The Burn, and Post ST Picard - is a comfortable place to explore. The Federation is fracturing, Dilithium is becoming more scarce, and there are rumblings about long standing planets withdrawing.

 

[Ometiklan]

I would prefer a post-Dominion War setting (for the learning, diplomacy, change from all those massive events), but would also be interested in a "Starfleet: First Class" setting around 2160 (if they can avoid the mistakes of ENT seasons 1-3).

I could also see a 32nd century setting, but I am less than confident in the writers for Discovery supporting/handling a transition to this Academy show.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I would prefer a post-Dominion War setting (for the learning, diplomacy, change from all those massive events), but would also be interested in a "Starfleet: First Class" setting around 2160 (if they can avoid the mistakes of ENT seasons 1-3).

I could also see a 32nd century setting, but I am less than confident in the writers for Discovery supporting/handling a transition to this Academy show.

I’m sure who’s ever in charge of Academy will have a hand in the transition

 

[mattman8907]

I say place it during the post-Enterprise-Era as a) the 22nd century is the least fleshed out of all the eras. the 23rd and 24th centuries (as the latter has now 5 Shows and 4 films. and the former has TOS, TAS, DIS S1-2, 9 films (Prime and Kelvin Timeline) and is working on adding SNW to the mix) and plus it would be nice to see how Starfleet Academy dealt with all these species working together as One.

Also this would be Star Trek's equivalent to the Harry Potter books.

 

[Skywalker]

I agree post-ENT would be the most interesting because the show could be about literally the first class of Starfleet Academy, all these young people from various species really coming together for the first time and figuring out how to coexist and work together all while the new, integrated Starfleet is coming together around them (and dealing with all the growing pains and teen/young adult drama that comes along with all of it).

But it's probably going to be set in the new DSC era.

 

[captainkirk]

I could see it being set in the 32nd-century with Saru as an instructor.

 

[DEWLine]

Or as commandant?

Probably less likely, as Mr. Jones seems inclined to like working regularly.

 

[Ometiklan]

I’m sure who’s ever in charge of Academy will have a hand in the transition

Right, but if the Academy show is being developed like Picard or SNW (or Section 31), it will heavily involve (if not be spearheaded) by existing producers or writers from current Trek shows - those already familiar with "modern" Trek production and who developed the ideas for these spinoff shows. That is why I am a little worried.

Now, I am not 100% familiar with all the creatives behind LDS or PRO, but they are more independent productions (in terms of origins) being an original idea developed by McMahan and being developed at/for Nickelodeon, respectively (not to mention that they are animated, so involve a totally different production flow). So, if Academy was developed independently like that, I wouldn't have the same concerns (though I might have different concerns).